Update 26^th Feb 2013.

Don’t forget, get your entry in for the

Burr Contractors any Gender Pairs

At Northern, Saturday 2^nd March at 9.30am.

Bowling On 26^th Feb.

Bowling On

It seems hardly credible but we haven't yet reached March and the Representative season for Manawatu Bowls is all over and all champion of champion events have been played and won.

Ahead of us are the best two calendar months of the year for settled bowls weather so with such a window of opportunity club open tournaments will become the focus of attention.

More of that later but firstly congratulations to the Manawatu men's team for finishing runners-up in the National inter centre final at Auckland, and our women's team that made the quarter-final. They say in sport that no-one remembers who came second and such will be the reality here but that would be to deny what was a splendid fighting performance against the highly regarded Dunedin team.

The Manawatu pair had struggled early on which followed an ordinary weekend against Hawkes Bay a week earlier. But a switch round saw Craig Gush skipping Philip Skoglund and the combination clicked and were leading their match against NZ singles champion Shaun Scott and lead Mark Watt 12-9 when time was called with two ends to play. Ross Ellery had lost his singles 25-16 and the fours of Pat Horgan, Mark Noble, Barry Wynks and Cameron Nairne succumbed 12-11 after leading for most of the match. That's bowls as they say but it's a long time to this event next year. Selector Eric Watson has been saying he won't stand next year but he can be proud of the squad's achievement.

Eventual runners-up Nelson took our women's side out 2-1 in their last eight game and again a heartbreaking 14-13 loss for Mere Fryer and Janeen Noble was the difference. Fryer's effort wonderfully meritorious as she was playing on after the news of her Mother's death the previous day and it can't have been easy for her or her team mates.

Taking all centres to Auckland is a massively expensive exercise and it remains to be seen whether this format will be persevered with in the future.

• Back to my discussion on open tournaments and I get the impression their is a resurgence of interest in these events. I called through Hokowhitu last Friday and observed that they filled two greens for a mixed 2-4-2 pairs and my Johnston Park club had a maximum entry of 32 teams for it's two day pairs over the weekend. The field quality was good enough to see two current season representative players Adam Johnston and Scotty McGavin only make the B division although they romped through to be the only four winner on the Sunday.  I'm pleased to say that my clubmate Brian Mudgway and his unnamed grumpy skip took out the top division.

This weekend sees any gender pairs at Northern on Saturday, any gender triples at Woodville on Sunday and a men's triples at Shannon the same day. Hopefully all clubs get good entries. Players need remember that support for tournaments goes two ways. I'm looking forward to my day at Northern.

• By the time Bowling On goes to press next week I'll be playing in my first "Golden Oldies" at Palmerston North. With 80 fours it is far and away the largest event in the Manawatu and has been won by members of bowls aristocracy such as Dave Baldwin and Vic Sellars. There is no sign that in it's 29th year the tournament is waning in support as for every bowler at the top end who can't dodge a coffin any longer there is another one turning 60 and thus qualifying.

Takaro complements the event with a two day women's event which I also understand has drawn good support.

• Don't forget to get your entry in for Northern's Hospice event on 16 March. The club has raised over $100000 for this worthy cause over the years but it relies totally on bowler support for it's success.

TONY JENSEN

Thanks Tony.